This study investigates how school size influences the relationship between students’ socioeconomic background and academic achievement, with a particular focus on whether community-linked program participation mediates this effect. Using data from the Korea Educational Longitudinal Study (KELS), we analyze a sample of 5,291 elementary students through a two-way fixed effects model to control for unobserved individual and school characteristics. To address endogeneity, the study adopts school site area (log-transformed) as an instrumental variable and further applies a generalized structural equation model (GSEM) for causal mediation analysis in rural small schools. Results show no significant school size effect in metropolitan and mid-sized cities, but a protective effect of small schools for socioeconomically disadvantaged students in rural areas. Moreover, participation in community-linked programs significantly mediates this relationship. These findings highlight the need to evaluate rural small schools not solely by cost-efficiency but through their structural connection to local communities and educational equity.
This study aims to identify the profiles of teachers in Turkiye based on the types and frequencies of their participation in professional development (PD) activities and to explore the demographic characteristics and psychological factors that influence these profiles. Using latent profile analysis (LPA), teachers were categorized into four distinct PD profiles: “High and Social Learner,” “Average Learner,” “Individual Researcher Learner,” and “Lower Learner.” The findings indicated that teachers with postgraduate degrees are more likely to belong to more active PD profiles. Teachers with high levels of professional commitment were more likely to fall into the “Lower Learner” profile. Conversely, increased teacher leadership and life satisfaction were positively associated with higher PD participation. The study has important implications for designing tailored, effective programs that meet teachers’ PD needs.
This study seeks to reframe educational fairness in Korea through a multidimensional approach that clarifies distinctions between equality, equity, and fairness. It emphasizes the uneven application of distributive, procedural, and interactional fairness in education and advocates expanding organizational justice theory across educational contexts. The study highlights the need for robust indicators and metrics to evaluate and reform policies effectively and calls for analyzing international cases to inform policy development. Future research should validate fairness dimensions empirically, refine assessment tools for practical use, and conduct global comparative studies to develop effective and inclusive fairness models.
Recently, the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT has raised many concerns regarding their impact on student academic performance, teacher quality, and school policy. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of AI as an instructional tool through a systematic review and meta-analysis of quantitative (11 studies) and qualitative data (32 studies) using mixed methods during 2023-2025. The findings revealed a moderate, statistically significant effect (r = .502, 95% CI [.46, .54]) of using AI tools, including ChatGPT, on student academic achievement and the use of structured, teacher-facilitated instruction. Qualitative content analysis identified six major themes: student academic performance, student motivation, skill development, ethical considerations, institutional readiness and preparedness, and leadership. Structure, clear policy, and alignment with curriculum will promote achievement with ChatGPT in a structured classroom setting based on faculty mediation as it relates to the motivation, cognitive, and acceptance pathways that lead to academic success.
This paper aims to develop a grounded theory of “constrained autonomy” to explain the paradoxical and uneven implementation of university autonomy in Vietnamese lower-tier universities. Based on the analysis of ten policy documents and discussion reports, the findings reveal that while independence has been formally institutionalized, its realization remains limited by fragmented legal frameworks, inadequate and unstable financial resources, and inconsistent interpretations within universities. These constraints compel institutions to adopt short-term, survival-oriented responses rather than pursuing strategic transformation, making autonomy more symbolic than substantive. Policy implications highlight the need to (a) synchronize the legal system to ensure coherent authority and accountability, (b) reform financial mechanisms to balance diversification with sustainability and equity, and (c) strengthen institutional governance and leadership capacity. The research contributes to ongoing debates on higher education reform by elucidating how autonomy in developing-country contexts evolves not merely through legislation but through the interplay of institutional capability, resource configuration, and governance culture.
